Plain packaging campaign

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Plain packaging involves regulating the design characteristics of tobacco packaging (e.g. the branding, colouring, typography, size, shape and method of opening), so that tobacco products must be sold in plain, standardised packaging. Large pictorial health warnings and consumer information could cover most of the pack area. This deprives tobacco companies of their last, very powerful, marketing tool to promote their products.

In a world-first the Australian Parliament passed legislation on the plain packaging of tobacco products on 21 November 2011. The new law is expected to come into force in December 2012.

Now the UK Government has committed to carrying out a public consultation on plain packaging in Spring 2012. ASH Scotland, together with our partners in the SCOT Coalition, will be campaigning to ensure the strongest possible voice from Scotland in support of plain packaging.

Why plain packaging?

Evidence consistently suggests that plain packaging will:

make tobacco products less attractive to young people
reduce mistaken perceptions regarding brands such as, for example, that cigarettes in lighter packaging are less harmful
increase the prominence and effectiveness of health warnings

“We need plain packaging because two thirds of smokers start before they are 18 and the vast majority while still teenagers. Every day roughly 40 young Scots become smokers.”
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive, ASH Scotland

More resources

Read the full ASH Scotland plain packaging briefing (pdf, 388kb)
Read a short 2 page summary of the main issues in plain packaging (pdf, 244kb)
Plain packaging of tobacco products: a review of the evidence by Quit Victoria and Cancer Council Victoria (pdf, 2.2 mb)
Review recent research on tobacco packaging

Other organisation's plain packaging campaigns

The British Heart Foundation recently launched a report on young people's perceptions of plain packaging
Visit Cancer Research UK ‘The Answer’s Plain’ campaign page

If you have any questions regarding the plain packaging campaign, please contact us.